Mumbai: A day after the huge statue of legendary Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj collapsed in Sindhudurg district, the incident snowballed into a major political issue in poll-bound Maharashtra with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi demanding an FIR against the Centre and State governments.
The 35-foot tall statue of the Shivaji Maharaj with a sword in his hand - was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rajkot fort in Malvan tehsil of Sindhudurg coinciding with Navy Day celebrations on 4 December, 2023, however, within months it collapsed.
The MVA has hit out at Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.
They also hit out at Modi saying that the projects inaugurated by him like the Ram Temple at Ayodhya, Parliament House in New Delhi, Samruddhi Corridor, Atal Setu among others are facing issues.
Thane-based sculptor Jaydeep Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil have come under the lens and so as an Assistant Engineer of the Public Works Department.
State Congress President Nana Patole demanded that an FIR should be lodged against the Centre and State governments. “Ministers in the state government are now shirking their responsibility and pointing fingers at the central government. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is the deity of Maharashtra and insulting our deity will never be tolerated,” said Patole.
“The BJP coalition government in Maharashtra is a commission agent, this government takes commission in cement, sand, bricks and iron, they are not ashamed of anything. The task of erecting a grand idol of Shivaji Maharaj was given to Apte, a novice and inexperienced sculptor from Thane. Rs 2.36 crore was spent on this work. Rs 5 crore was spent on beautification. Actually, the task of erecting the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj should have been given to an expert and experienced person. Salt water in the sea, speed of wind should have been studied but in the name of taking credit and commission, the government has insulted Maharaj without paying attention to the quality of work,” said Patole.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut claimed that even Aurangzeb and Mughals did not insult Shivaji Maharaj in such a manner - demanded immediate resignation of the Chief Minister.
"We need the resignation of the chief minister for hurting the feelings of (the people of) Maharashtra. Public Works Department Minister Ravindra Chavan should be sacked. They did not even spare Shivaji Maharaj and indulged in corruption,” alleged Raut.
MNS President Raj Thackeray said, “Statues, monuments are only for political convenience. I have said many times in the past that the real memorial of the Maharaj is not some grand statue, but his forts. People should destroy this system of politicising symbols. And only if that happens, we can say that we are living in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's Maharashtra.”